Impervious case for containing strings for musical instruments



(No Model.)

F. H. GRIFFITH. IMPERVIOUS CASE FOR CONTAINING STRINGS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS .N0.- 488,005. Patented Dec. 13, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN HOWARD GRIFFITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPERVIOUS CASE FOR CONTAINING STRINGS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,005, dated December 13, 1892.

Application filed June 16, 1892. Serial No. 436,924- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN HOWARD GRIFFITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Impervious Cases for Containing Strings for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

It is well-known that certain strings, such as are employed on musical instruments of various kinds, are usually composed of animal membranes or skins, and hence are exceedingly susceptible to and are injuriously afiected by atmospheric changes and conditions, which in some instances cause the strings to deteriorate, and hence to become useless.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to provide a simple, neat, and attractive case adapted to contain the strings of must cal instruments and to protect the same from the deleterious and injurious effects of atmospheric changes and conditions, and, second, to provide such a case with a series of separate pockets or pouches adapted, respectively, for the reception of the different sizes, qualities, or kinds of strings and provided with suitable index-figures or characters, so that the required strings may be readily selected for use.

My invention, stated in general terms, consists of string-cases composed of folded sheets or leaves of wax paper or other impervious material. united by metallic side clamps to form a series of indexed pockets or pouches and an exterior flap.

My invention further consists in the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature, scope, and characteristic features of mv invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in Whl0h- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a stringcase embodying features of my invention and showing the same in closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the case, showing the same in open position and also showing a series of pockets or pouches adapted, respectively, for the reception of strings of various kinds or qualities. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l and drawn to an enlarged scale in order to illustrate the disposition and arrangement of the leaves that comprise the case, and Fig. 4 is a similar View taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and showing one of the-metallic side clamps which retain the respective leaves or sheets of the device to place.

In the drawings, a is a sheet or leaf composed of waxed or paraffined paper, or of paper or other material otherwise renderedkimpervious to atmospheric changes and conditions. This leaf or sheet ais adapted to be folded to form the exterior walls of the case and is provided at one of its extremital. portions with a flap a, adapted to be folded into theposition shown in Fig. 1 in order to close the case.

b isa sheet orleaf of similar material, adapted to be folded into a position for forming the walls of two of the respective pockets or pouches of the case.

0 is a sheet or leaf of similar material interposed between the folded portions of the sheet b and adapted to divide the space included thereby into two pockets or pouches.

The upper portions of each of the leaves a, b,

I and c overlap the one above the other, as

shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and are slightly out awayin orderto mark the openings of the respective pockets or pouches of the case and in order to facilitate the insertion of the re-' spective strings therein.

e are index characters or figures printed,

painted, or otherwise marked upon the upper portions of the respective leaves or sheets adjacent to the openings of thepockets or pouches and adapted to indicate the'charaoter of strings that are intended to be inserted therein, so that a person unfamiliar with the strings of musical instruments is enabled to select the particular string that may be required by reference to the index characters or figures e. Inasmuch as the leaves or'sheets a and b are folded at the lower portions of the case, it is obvious that they serve to close thesame. However, the sides and edges'of zoo" the case must be united together or closed, and this object is accomplished by means of metallic strips cl, that are folded over upon themselves and around the marginal portions of the respective sheets or leaves, in the manner illustrated more particularly in Fig. 4E. The strips d not only serve to unite the respective leaves constituting the ease in the manner above described, but also serve to increase the rigidity thereof, whereby the strings are protected from undue bending.

In use the flap 0, is opened and a supply of strings is inserted in the respective pockets or pouches of the case in such manner that the figures or characters 6 serve to indicate or point out the character or quality of the strings that are contained in each of the different pockets or pouches. The flap a may then be closed or folded over, as shown in Fig. 1, withthe result that. the strings are completely inclosed in impervious material, and are thus protected from the deleterious effects that arise from atmospheric changes or conditions. Whenever a string of any particular character is required for use, it may be readily taken from the case by opening the flap a, as shown in Fig. 2, and then selecting the required string by reference to the index figures or characters e.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as-neW, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l. Astring-case comprising a series of pockets or pouches and composed of an exterior impervious sheet or leaf provided with aflap and folded upon itself to close the bottom of the case, intermediate impervious sheets or leaves, and side clamps comprising, respect-f ively, a sheet of metal folded over the side edges of all the sheets and also folded upon itself, substantially as and for the purposes se t forth.

2. A string-case comprising an exteriorimpervious sheet or leaf provided with a flap "and folded to close the bottom of the case, im-

pervious sheets interposed between the folded portion of the exterior sheet and having their upper portions cut away to form a series of pockets, and metallic side edges comprising, respectively, a sheet of metal, said metallic side edges and sheets being folded together and clamped, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANKLIN HOWARD GRIFFITH. Witnesses:

THOMAS M. SMITH,

RICHARD O. MAXWELL. 

